I noticed a post about using benadryl to sleep.

[Fybro23]

I know it's available over the counter & Dr's don't like to prescribe sleeping tablets. But taking an antihistamine to aid sleep is not a good Idea. After a while they will simply fail to work & if you're not careful you will suffer some severely unpleasant side effects from head ache & nausea to renal problems. They are only safe & effective for a few days use.

Much better to speak openly about insomnia to your doctor. You have an illness that will prevent proper rest & as for not reaching REM sleep is normal for fibro sufferers & therefore giving you something in the long-term far better for your body & the way you feel, no more habit forming if used properly in the short term.

An antihistamine overdose is no way to deal with lack of sleep & that's basically what you are doing, it can make you feel absolutely awful too. Sometimes it's hard to be firm with your Dr, but only you know how you truly feel.

[ellj]

A very experienced doctor advised me to use an antihistamine to help me get off to sleep. Not for long term but to get into a better sleep pattern.

[Fybro23 in reply to ellj]

I find it hard to believe any doctor trained in the last decade would promote that as a good way to cure sleep problems. But hey I've been recommended tablets for sleep unavailable on the NHS by a GP on a private prescription. The attitude to one GP to one medication varies tremendously depending on when they were trained I guess. I have been categorically warned not to buy antihistamine or over the counter preparations to aid sleep but to consult my GP who has helped me through insomnia without what I can only describe as "candid" Advice , advice obviously differs wildly from individual to individual.

[ellj]

The doctor who gave me that advice is very highly respected , a functional doctor who left the NHS due to being restricted by their outdated rules over how a patient could be treated.